WHO says lightning doesn’t strike twice? It did last Saturday for Frankie Dettori and a sixth time for trainer David Nicholls as the pair teamed up to win the Ayr Gold Cup with Redford.

But it had been touch and go whether Dettori would make it to the course, having been unable to take his scheduled flight from Stanstead to Prestwick because he had not taken his passport to the airport with him.

He missed his ride in the second race but things went like clockwork in the feature as he brought Redford with a perfectly-timed run to beat his stable companion Victoire De Lyphar by two and a quarter lengths.

Nicholls trains the winner for Dr Marwan Koukash and said: “I love this race and it is great to have won it again, it is one of the best handicaps in the calendar and Frankie told me when he rode him in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket that the horse would win the Ayr Gold Cup.

“Michael Bell had him to start with and I feel sorry for Kevin Ryan, who had him before he came to me a couple of months ago, but he is a very good horse with more to come hopefully, and he will now run in the seven-furlong handicap at Ascot next week.

“But don’t forget Victoire De Lyphar, he is only a three-year-old and you will see the best of him next year.’ After doing his trademark flying dismount Dettori said: “This is one of the great handicaps, I waited 23 years to win it for the first time and now I have won it twice in two years.

Colonel Mak has found his form with a vengeance and although a 33-1 chance there was no fluke about his success under Phillip Makin in the Silver Cup earlier in the afternoon.

Afterwards, trainer David Barron said: “To be fair the horse looks tremendously well, he has not looked as well all year and maybe he wasn’t quite right earlier on.”

Makin, who completed a double on the Michael Dods-trained Tiger Reigns in the williamhill.com Ayrshire Handicap, said of Colonel Mak: “He had never shown this sign of ability so he is going the right way and improving.”

Closer to home, Catterick also raced on Saturday and Middleham trainer Micky Hammond had a nice winner with Danceintothelight, who took the 1mi 6f handicap in the hands of Kelly Harrison.

Later in the evening at Wolverhampton, John Weymes deserves a special mention after getting Almaty Express to win his 12-course success under Martin Lane, who is going all out to be champion apprentice.

Ben Haslam has made a good impression since taking over the licence from his father Patrick earlier in the year and he had another winner with Reason To Believe, who took the opening nursery at Hamilton on Sunday.

Haslam also had a winner at Beverley on Tuesday with the useful-looking Kinlochrannoch who give the championship leading jockey Paul Hanagan another winner.

Back at Hamilton, Mark Johnston and Joe Fanning were in double form with State Opera and Tobernea both coming home in front.

Jump racing is getting ready to step up a gear and Kate Walton, who has a fine string to go to war with this season over the sticks, had a winner at Uttoxeter on Sunday with Royal Flynn who was successful in the novices’ handicap hurdle under Henry Brooke who looks excellent value for his seven pound claim.

Redcar staged a mammoth eight-race card on Wednesday and Ann Duffield sent out the consistent Regimental to win the one mile nursery under the in-form Makin.